5.03 Declaration of Student Rights

Consistent with properly adopted and disseminated policies and procedures and with applicable law, and in consideration of students joining together in this community, the college and its representatives will seek to ensure the following rights for all students. These rights carry with them duties and responsibilities. To protect and preserve the rights of others in the college community, they are therefore subject to those restrictions defined by law, and the enforcement of college policies and procedures and of agreements entered into freely.

1. Expression and Inquiry
Every student has the right to freedom of opinion and expression on all subjects and is individually responsible for the consequences of any abuse of these freedoms. No student shall be prevented from exercising his or her right of self-expression or inquiry.

The rights include the freedom to hold opinions without interference, to seek, receive and impart information and ideas orally, in writing, in print, and in the form of art, or through any chosen medium.

2. Participation, Association and Assembly
Every student has the right to participate freely in intellectual, cultural, and political life of the college community, to enjoy the fellowship of his or her colleagues, and to assemble peaceably and associate.

3. Thought, Conscience and Religion
Every student has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right includes the freedom to manifest one's religion or belief in discussion, practice, worship and observance, either alone or in community with others. No student shall be harassed or molested on account of his religious persuasion, profession, or practice, but may not under color of religion disrupt the order or safety of the campus community or infringe upon others civil or religious rights. No student may be compelled to attend or prohibited from attending any religious service or observance.

4. Privacy, Autonomy, Personal and Intellectual Security
All students have the right to be secure in their persons, dwellings, papers, communications, and effects. No student shall be subjected to interference with his or her privacy in the family, in the home, or in the autonomy of choice in consensual intimate relations or in any private matter relevant to the personal identity and well-being of the individual. Every student has the right to protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary, or artistic production of which he or she is the author. No student shall be denied the right to take all reasonable and proportionate measures to protect his or her person.

5. Discipline and Due Process
In all disciplinary (judicial) proceedings, students shall have the right to be informed of the accusation, to receive promptly a copy of the complaint, and to have access to relevant material to be introduced in order to guarantee the ability to prepare a defense. They shall have the right to be assisted without prejudice by an advisor, to have access to procedures for securing the appearance of reluctant as well as friendly witnesses, to examine all witnesses in disciplinary (judicial) hearings, and to receive a timely and impartial proceeding. No student may be compelled to testify against him or herself, although a negative inference may be drawn from any person's failure to respond to relevant questions in a judicial setting.

6. Equality of Rights and Equal Protection
Equality of rights and equal protection under the rules and regulations of the college shall not be abridged or denied because of race, color, creed, sex, marital status, personal appearance, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental handicap, relationships, citizenship or lineage, sexual orientation, other personal beliefs and associations, or on the basis of the exercise of rights secured by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

7. Other Rights
This enumeration of rights shall not be construed so as to deny or disparage other rights held by students.

All students facing any accusation have the right to a thorough, complete investigation, and the right to share their personal account of the incident.